Irony
by Inkling39
Summary: "W-what are you doing here?." she nearly shrieked. Enjolras was unable to hold back a smirk. "Primarily to make your life hell." ... Eponine quits her job to stick it to her tyrant of an editor and to pursue her dream career, only to get a dose of karma at its worse. ExE
1. Chapter 1

I was originally thinking about this as a screen play... but Enjonine filled the parts perfectly so this was born...

* * *

Eponine could not help but let a smirk play on her lips as she walked through the streets like a woman on a mission. Her tall laced up boots clanked against the pavement like a drum beating out her own personal march.

Oh, today was a day long awaited and she was determined to have it play out like it did in her mind non-stop the last two years. She was on her way to work, but this would be the last day, for today was the day she would turn in her two weeks notice and resign at long last.

Due to her plowing, she made it to work at record time, but waited a whole extra minute just to walk in the slightest bit late. _He _hated that. She tapped her foot, watching her watch with her wicked smile, knowing he would be looking too, waiting to reprimand her as soon as she walked in.

The clock struck 9:01 and Eponine briskly waltzed into the building, making the doorbell chime, not even bothering to acknowledge her co-workers for fear they would sway her spirits.

"Morning 'Ponine!" she heard Marius say from his desk.

"Hey baby-cakes, you didn't text me all weekend." that was Grantire at the water fountain, definitely not drinking water.

"Morning." she allowed herself to quip, but kept walking. "Boss in the office?"

"I think he slept there." Joly replied jokingly.

Of course he was in his office, he was always in there. Eponine didn't even allow herself to pause before opening the door to her editor's office without knocking, something he also hated, and let herself in, closing it rather loudly behind herself.

_Don't chicken out now! _she thought quickly.

Gabriel Enjolras was reading the morning edition of their paper at his overly neat and organized desk, but Eponine could still see his shoulder's flinch at the slam of the door and could already tell she had successfully pissed him off thoroughly.

He lowered the paper and eyed the brunette with a scowl that was slightly deeper than his usual default scowl. Eponine just beamed at him in reply.

"Morning, Enjolras." she said cheerfully, waltzing up to his desk.

"Eponine." he greeted coldly. "You're inability to knock never ceases to amaze me, but I suppose I should just be happy you're only slightly off clock-in time today."

"I suppose you should, because I quit." she retorted, hardly holding back any bitterness.

That made him pause in surprise, making Eponine's smile broaden. To see the calm and always collected Gabriel Enjolras being derailed was the more satisfying than Eponine dreamed up.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" he asked, giving her his full attention, folding up his paper.

"You heard me, Enjolras," Eponine spoke up, ready to unleash two years of frustration. "I said: I. Quit!"

He frowned and leaned forward in his seat. "Oh really?"

"Yes really," she began. "And don't bother lecturing me about paperwork and getting a decent reference, I

already spoke to the Monsieur Lamarck and he wrote one up for me, I'll also be serving my two weeks upstairs under Combeferre, as to avoid any awkwardness in the workplace. "

"Ah, so you went over my head." Enjolras stated, quite recovered from his surprise and now quietly evaluating the situation.

"I wouldn't take it too badly," she told him, talking to him as if he were a child. "You've loathed my existence since I started here, I've never managed to meet your expectations at all, my leaving I'm sure will be more of a blessing to you."

"None-the-less," he said with an annoyed sigh. "You've still managed to cause me some problems; I'll have very limited time to find a replacement to a hard to manage job… though it's obvious you never took your work seriously… I would've appreciated at least a little heads up."

"I would perhaps be sorry about that, if the last two years working for you hadn't been a hell." she quipped back, mirroring his frown. "But, the truth is, I'm glad to cause you any inconvenience that I possibly can."

"How professional of you." he stated mildly, leaning back in his chair.

"Oh, I'm not done yet, I've been waiting a long time to say this and so help me I will; I want you to know that you are the most pompous, arrogant, spoiled rich boy I've ever had the misfortune to meet! I've wasted two years of my life trying to bend over backwards to please you and all you have ever done is belittle and treat me like I'm good for nothing." she told him. "Well guess what, I'm not worthless; I got the part from my audition which means I never get to see you're smug stupid face ever again! Ha!"

"Your audition?" he asked with genuine curiosity ignoring her verbal assaults. He was probably just trying to belittle her again.

"Yes, for the Madeleine Company." she must have spoken about it fifty times since auditions started, but of course Enjolras probably didn't even listen or care. "But that's not important, you…"

She paused when she noticed that he was smirking slightly.

"What?" she asked annoyed.

"Nothing…" he replied, recovering quickly. "…is your rant quite done?"

She huffed. "Yes, I suppose it is, I will now take my stuff upstairs and then I'll be gone on the eighth, bye."

"Bye, Eponine." he said as she slammed the door, unable to stop himself from chuckling.

Oh boy…

…

She felt like a new woman!

Opening the door to Enjolras' office she was met by the entire body of her fellow staff-mates gaping at her. Not one of these boys, not even Grantaire would ever dare speak to Enjolras like that.

"Eponine… are you for real?" Marius asked. "You got the part!?"

She tried not to flush at Marius' attention and praise, so she just nodded and giggled like a girl in middle school instead.

"Thaddagirl!" Grantaire slurred, picking Eponine up twirling her around the office.

Eponine laughed happily as the rest of her co-workers congratulated her, all clapping and asking questions.

"I can't believe you said that to Enjolras! I can't believe you just quit! What was his face like?" Jolly asked.

Eponine was place back down to earth by Grantaire and mimicked Enjolras' surprised face almost perfectly. She was a pretty decent impersonator and she had Enjolras' down perfectly from his posture to his voice, an act she often used to make the _A.B.C. Inquiry _staff laugh throughout the day.

The boys chuckled wholeheartedly, but stopped dead as Enjolras stepped out of his office with a coffee mug in hand for a refill.

"This isn't a social, get back at your desks." he ordered calmly, but rather sternly.

Everyone filed back to work professionally, except for Grantaire, who gave the editor-in-chief a drunk salute, making Enjolras roll his eyes.

"Jondrette, shouldn't you be emptying your desk?" Enjolras asked Eponine.

She smiled broadly, giving him a salute as well. "Yes, chief, yes I should."

Her little cubical was hardly a chore to clean. She had her 1945 type writer would be the hardest to move, but she would ask Marius to help her carry it upstairs. He was always such a gentleman. Other than that she only had her laptop three pencils and a few notebooks. Her articles were mostly in the field and she wasn't much of a desk worker like Grantaire and Joly.

Though she would miss the staff downstairs, she was excited to work upstairs to finish her articles. Muscihetta worked upstairs as a secretary and it would be nice to have a little female company. She would miss working so close to the Marius, the center of her attention for the last two years, but she would always see him at the cafe he worked at from 4-7 on the weekends.

Marius was just lovely, almost like a fairytale prince, he was tall lean with copper hair and the greenest green eyes in all the world. He was also came from a wealthy family, but was humble and kind and was trying to make his own way. He was an aspiring overseas journalist and wanted to travel the world. Most of the boys were just graduated and finishing up their last years in college or, like Combeferre and Enjolras, just starting graduate studies.

Eponine made it through two years in college working toward a Musical Theater Major, always wanting to pursue the stage, because of her love of acting, dancing and singing. However, that was before having to drop out due to failing a political science course and losing her scholarship.

Luckily, that was the same year she met Marius at the café' who got her a job at the _A.B.C Inquiry_, an independent and quite successful newspaper, focused on politics and the fall of society and trying to make a difference in the world. Down on her luck, and with no money, Eponine made the most of it, and was very active in trying to do good work. She was hired because of her destitute upbringing, and her inner connections with the poor of Paris. She wrote articles of the people struggling in the city, making their case known to society.

Quite an inspiring job, but not her dream; she still longed to work on the stage, and was always taking up auditions whenever she could. Unfortunately for two years, she never got any parts with any of the city's companies, and no matter how hard she worked, she was unable to please her editor.

Enjolras, for some unknown reason and despite hiring her himself, detested her since she started. She thought at first it was because he wasn't very personal, nor was he used to women, and though that was true, that proved not to be the case. Enjolras, though a natural jerk, seemed to always be twice as frustrated with her mistakes and passive aggressively managed to make her life miserable.

Even while she was cleaning out her desk, she had no idea why Enjolras hated her so much. It made her quite frustrated. Though not perfect, she was a hard worker, almost always on time, and she a great people person. She was funny, chatty, witty and helpful, all the other guys loved her, and she went out of her way so that Enjolras would like her.

When she first started she brought him coffee, asked if he needed anything, complimented him, tried talking to him, but her efforts were in vain; Enjolras just hated her.

Over time, she gave up her conquest and decided to loathe him just as much as he seemed to loathe her, he was often the butt of her jokes and the pinnacle of her emotional rants and tantrums.

_Well, at last we can be rid of each other. _She thought, trying not to dwell on the matter anymore, it had been a tiresome two years and she was going to put it all behind her.

With a flirtatious smile, she turned to Marius in the next cubical and lifted her heavy type writer. "Help a girl with some luggage?"

Marius smiled back in amusement, getting up from her seat. "Certainly."

…

The next day, Eponine took the stairs to the second floor. She peaked a her head in to say good morning to Marius, Grantaire and Joly, but was quick to avoid Enjolras by any means.

Sharing a office with Musichetta, she lay across the office sofa, typing on her laptop. Only two articles to go until freedom.

Musichetta, tall, thin, with chopped black hair, seemed bored with her typing. "Oh, I hate being a secretary even more, now that you are a starlet!"

Eponine smiled. Musichetta and she, though knowing each other previously because Musichetta was dating Joly, had hit it off like soul sisters.

"Hardly a starlet, I'm an extra." Eponine replied, typing away. "An extra in _Phantom of the Opera_! No one will be able to even see me."

"Yes, for now, but wait until you work you're way up!" Musichetta leaned back in her chair dramatically. "You'll be the prima-donna!"

"I doubt it," Eponine replied. "But, insignificant or not, its a dream come true."

"That's the spirit!" Musichetta exclaimed. "So, are you singing anything?"

"Mostly just ballet dancing, but I have a little chorus singing at the opening act." she replied.

"How much will you be making?"

"Not much more than I am here, but that doesn't matter to me, I don't need much." Eponine answered.

"I'm just so excited for you!" Musichetta sighed happily. "Joly and I will be there opening day, you be sure."

"Look out for Female Dancer #14 in the program." Eponine replied.

"Musichetta!" Combeferre called from the room next door. "Enough talking, I need those recites printed up."

"Aye! Aye!" Musichetta called, before muttering to Eponine. "You'll have to get used to Comberfur, he's a bit of a work horse."

"I'm sure he's nothing compared to Enjolras." Eponine grumbled sitting up, saving her draft.

"Oh, you mean Adonis down there?" Musichetta asked with a dreamy sigh. "Is he as bad as they say? Joly complains often, but I don't believe that someone so perfectly gorgous could be that hard to work for."

As much as Eponine hated to admit it, Enjolras was impossibly attractive, she noticed when she first met him. He was tall and lean in the most perfect way; and had a face that seemed to be chiseled by Michelangelo, framed by golden curls. In a word he was angelic; the kind of good looking one would stop and point at.

However, Eponine was soon to forget anything about his looks, as Enjolras' unapproachable personality erased any attraction she had for him.

"He's worse." Eponine replied. "He may be good looking, but he's a mental terrorist, passively bringing you down into a depression, you're lucky to have Combeferre as a boss, Enjolras' personality is so unattractive, you don't even want to sit and stare at him."

"Wow." Musichetta laughed. "Such fiery passion."

Eponine frowned. "Hateful passion, he literally ruined the last two years of my life."

Musichetta just rolled her eyes. "Oh, you're definitely meant for dramatics, darling… I take that he must have been a great motivator to get out of this hive of self-righteous idealists?"

"Chetta, I really need those recites sometime today!" Combeferre called, his voice still calm, but an edge there.

"Hold your horses, Doc!" Musichetta shouted back to him, gathering a pile of stapled white papers.

Eponine just smiled as she sent her draft to the printers. Only two more weeks.

…

There was a sloppy knock on his door, making Enjolras pause in his typing. "Come in."

Grantaire entered with a stack of paper in his arms, looking about as hung-over as one could get.

"Morning, chief!" he greeted, waltzing up to his desk and dropping the stack. "Here all the flyers I've printed for the rally next month."

"Two days later than I asked, but thanks." Enjolras replied, continuing his typing. He was literally swamped as he usually was on Friday evenings. He had four more articles to edit, three paper's due for his Grad School by Monday, a rally to plan next month and (not to mention) his much detested side project coming up.

"Hey, it takes time to print out the number you wanted, we've been low on ink and staples for a while too."

"Yes, I'm aware." Enjolras replied. "I'm sending Pontmercy out today to pick up supplies. As you know, I'm short staffed down here, and soon I will have a void in the editorial where I normally put Jondrette's articles and I have no idea where to start for a replacement for her."

"Yeah, you only had the four of us who could handle your management, I don't think God loves you enough to send in someone else… not someone who's a decent writer and attracts as many readers with the poor's sob stories like Eponine."

Enjolras felt his the vein in his temple throb. He could imagine Eponine living it up upstairs with nothing on the line, enjoying the last two weeks with only three articles to write. _Well, let her have her fun now. _

"Did you need anything else, Grantaire?" he asked, rubbing a hand through his hair.

"Nope, I'll just stagger back to my desk chief."

…

Her last day, Eponine had already turned in her last article and was eating a bag of microwave popcorn, doing some proof reading for Musichetta who sat on Jehan's desk, listening to a poem he had written.

Combeferre was out on an errand, and the three of them were all that were upstairs. The radio was going, the windows were open, and there was only three more days when she would start rehearsal!

Things were really looking up at last!


	2. Chapter 2

Enjoy! Thanks for all the Reviews! Please keep it up... this story is different than my other ones so I want to know if it works :)

* * *

"So, how was your last day?" Marius asked, handing Eponine a foamy hot chocolate.

Eponine was broken out of her daze and smiled brightly at him, trying to remember what he had said. She had been too busy counting his freckles.

"Hmmm?" she asked, lifting her head from her hand, where it had been resting.

"You're such a space case, Ponine." Marius chuckled lightly. "I asked how was the last day at the ABC?"

_I love your laugh. _Eponine thought. _Who am I kidding? I love all of you._

She took her cocoa into her hands. "It was good, if rather boring. Muschetta and I ended up painting each other's nails."

"Sounds a lot more fun than slaving away downstairs, Enjolras…"

"Oh, please let's not talk about Enjolras, I'm having a good day." she said pleadingly, taking the opportunity to put her hand over his in a "friendly" gesture.

"Sorry, he's just been beastly since you quit, complaining and dissatisfied with everything." Marius said rubbing the back of his head tiredly. "All of us are about ready to quit and join the circus like you."

"He'll get over it as soon as he finds a replacement, don't worry." she said, ignoring any guilt she could possibly feel at her abrupt resignation. "He's just peeved that he's under staff."

"I hope so." Marius said tiredly. "He's my friend in real life, but in the office, he might as well be my drill sergeant."

_Enjolras in real life? Who knew? _Eponine thought in amazement.

"Enough about that though, no more _ABC_ or Enjolras for you. Are you excited about rehearsals tomorrow?"

"Excited and ready to throw up." she said, her face lighting up. "There are so many extras, I'm a little overwhelmed."

"Aw, Ponine you will do great." Marius cooed adorably. "We all can't wait to see you in it."

"If you can even find me." she said, leaning dramatically over the counter.

"Hey, every part important." he told her, but then shut his mouth abruptly.

Eponine raised an eyebrow at his stiffness as he gazed over her head. "Marius?"

Eponine turned her head around curiously to see Enjolras approaching in his red jacket from high school.

_Damn!_

Eponine thought she should escape, but as she eyed all the routes that led to freedom, she knew there was no way to leave without him noticing her. He would either take her as a coward, or call out to her and then she would have to speak to him. So she remained in her seat and groaned inwardly.

"What is he doing here?" she muttered to Marius, hiding her face in her hot chocolate.

Marius shrugged. "I don't know, he never comes in this time a day, maybe he has come to scold me for something."

The bell of the café rang and Marius smiled nervously, unsure if he was seeing his best friend or seeing his stern boss. Eponine however shrank in her seat and tried her best to imitate invisible.

She heard his steady strides walk up to the counter and tried to pull herself together.

"Hey, Enjolras." Marius greeted.

"Marius." Enjolras replied, coming up to the counter about a foot away from Eponine, he glanced her way and seemed moderately surprised to see her, but did not make any comment or reaction to indicate so. He turned back to Marius. "I need a coffee."

_Double, 2 sugars, 2 creams. _Eponine could not help but think mentally.

"A double please. Two sugars and two creams." he spoke her thoughts.

Eponine smirked a little beneath her foam cup.

"Sure." Marius said, glad he wasn't in trouble. He hurried away to fix his order.

Enjolras looked over at Eponine who was still hiding in her hot chocolate, despite it being all but gone. She had a small, mental freak-out, wondering what she should do and say, or if she stay quiet… she mentally slapped herself.

_What am I doing!? He's not my boss anymore. I have no obligation to be on good behavior. I can do whatever I want and say whatever I please, and there is nothing he can do about it! Ha!_

"Jondrette." he greeted, turning away from her.

"Enjolras." she replied back with the same tone, finally setting her foam mug on the counter. "How fair you?"

He rolled his eyes at her mimicking his tone of voice. "Fine."

He glanced back at her and tried to repress a small smirk.

"You have a little something…" he motioned to his upper lip and Eponine felt all color drain from her face.

She glanced at the window where she could see her reflection only to notice that she was sporting a chocolate mustache.

Mortified, but not allowing herself to show it, she grabbed a napkin and wiped it off. "Thanks."

He just smirked and shook his head, turning back to await Marius.

Eponine, humiliated began to hate him the longer he stood there.

_Arrogant, son of a bitch! Coming here at MY time of the day! Interrupting MY time with Marius! Being all smug and calm and collected like a…_

"Here you are." Marius placed Enjolras' coffee before him, taking Eponine out of her hateful thoughts. Marius went to ring him up.

"So, you usually don't come here this time of the day," Marius said. "Are you working late at the office?"

Enjolras shook his head. "I have a ton of things to do for tomorrow, I…"

He hesitated.

Eponine and Marius exchanged glances.

Enjolras just hesitated.

"I… uh… have homework, papers due, etc." he finished, grabbing his mug and handing Marius his credit card. "How is your article coming along?"

Marius winced a little, he'd thought he had dodged the bullet. He swiped the card before handing it back, trying not to sweat. "It will be ready by Wednesday, I swear."

Enjolras just sighed and looked skyward in his typical fashion. It was if he was silently saying: _I can't believe you have disappointed me yet again. _

Eponine was well accustomed to that look.

"I'm sorry, I know it was due Monday, but my grandfather has come to town and with graduation, this job, finals…"

Enjolras' face stayed passive to all his excuses as he took a sip of his coffee.

"…I've been a bit swamped." Marius offered, his voice cracking slightly in an adorable way.

Eponine pouted. Who could resist that!?

Well, Enjolras.

The blonde young man just sighed again, continuing to punish Marius with his silent disappointment, per usual.

"Trust me, Marius." he said, sounding rather tired. "You're not the only one who's swamped."

With that, he turned to leave with his coffee.

"He makes a late article seem like I just ran over his dog and burned all of his Robespierre biographies." muttered Marius as soon as Enjolras closed the door behind him.

Eponine giggled.

…

Eponine leaned her head against the bus window with a happy sigh. She was in her leotard, a jacket and sweatpants, her small purple duffle-bag occupying the space next to hers. It was far too early for her liking, and she was having a bad hair day that she was trying to hid in a ponytail, but that didn't matter. Today was the first day of rehearsals!

She felt her heart singing as she checked over her bag and mad sure she had everything. This was it! This was her dream.

She got out as the bus pulled to the corner and wandered a ways, a little skip in her step as she neared the rehearsal hall for the Theatre du Chatelet, where she would be spending a good deal of her time, the next few months.

Lots of other people were gradually entering around her. All different sorts of people: technicians, actors, costume designers, numerous peoples with clipboards. She began to see her type of people, other girls with duffels, hair up tight, wearing leotards, and slowly migrated toward them.

Inside there was tables categorized for each department of the production, Eponine was able to spot the sign she was categorized under and waited in line for a few minutes.

"Name?" a middle-aged woman asked, not even looking up at her.

"Jondrette, Eponine." she told her.

"You are in the hall down the left. There will be a small opening ceremony. Here is your map of the building, it has been circled red where there are lockers, bathrooms, costume and makeup and cafeteria. If you need anything call the number in the corner." she said, handing her a laminated map as well as an orange envelope.

Inside was her stage and theatre pass, an updated version of her schedule and several other things that she would most likely need to get around this place.

She found her way, tailing alongside a few other dancers. The hall was quite large, and it just kept filling up with more and more people. It was a spacious and dark studio on steroids. She spun around to get a good look, whistling to herself.

Bored after waiting a few minutes, Eponine began to put on her ballet shoes and started to do a few stretches while she waited. A few other girls were doing the same. The blonde next to her smiled.

"I'm Patty." she said.

"Eponine." Eponine replied back with a smile.

"I don't know about you, but I am about ready to pass out." she said. "This is my first year with the company."

Eponine nodded vigorously. "Me too, its so overwhelming the size of everything."

"You'll get used to it after a few days." a red head said, lacing her shoes. She looked up at them with emerald eyes. "I'm Kate."

"Hi," both Patty and Eponine said simultaneously.

"We're pretty low on the totem poll, so don't worry too much about it, there is lot's of time to get comfortable." she continued.

"Oh look!" Patty cried, pointing to a beautiful brunette coming into view. "That's Annette Vallet, she is our Christine!"

Eponine gasped and nearly jumped with excitement. She was quite an Annette admirer and to be working in the same room as her was quite an honor. She truly was walking in with all her graceful glory. She was the perfect Christine!

"I've idolized her since I was thirteen!" Eponine told her new found friends.

More and more people poured in until the hall was quite snug. Eponine ended up sitting on a mat Indian style on the floor.

A bell rang right on time to get everyone's attention and a tall, once handsome, man walked into the center of the room, wearing a white, button-down, shirt and dress pants.

"Welcome!" he called. "Welcome, everyone to the beginning of what I'm sure will be an amazing project, filled with endless and amazing experiences!"

Any chatter in the room was now silent.

"It does me good to see so many people gathered together to work on such an amazing musical and share in a love of theatre and art." he continued. "My name is Jean Valjean and I will be your director, I have over a hundred people working under me and with me, to make all of you who will be on stage comfortable and ready to perform this production like second nature."

He motioned to the room next door. "Our orchestra will be practicing next door so lets keep that in mind so we can respect their work as they respect ours. The walls our pretty soundproof, but sometimes we can push the limit when singing in here. Your packets you all should have, if you don't see me after, have everything you need to get around the building and sets, please don't hesitate to ask for help if you need any."

He paused a bit to get a good look around the room. "After this we have a little refreshments as a little welcome gift to all of you, then we will start introductions for each department, but I want to make a few introductions now."

He motioned to a lovely blonde girl with curls falling down her back, a cheery smile on her face. Eponine tilted her head at the girl. She could have sworn that she had seen her before, but she couldn't place where.

"This is my daughter/ Cosette." Valjean said, wrapping an arm around the girl. "She will be our understudy for Meg Giri, she has been my help and my support through all of pre-production."

He motioned to a tall and intimidating man who stood with his arms crossed at one of the exits. "Over there is our Head of Security, Javert. Please go to him if there are any emergencies of any nature."

"Our conductor, Henri Bishop is working with his musicians, but any of you who sing will join him in the recording studio upstairs at one point or another. And of course," Valjean turned to look for someone that Eponine could not see where she was sitting. "My Assistant Director who will be overseeing just about every department, my right hand, I expect you all to treat him as you would me."

Eponine stood to get a better look.

"Where is he?" Valjean asked looking at his crew behind him, before laughing. "Come on, get up here!"

An all to familiar figure begrudgingly came to stand beside Valjean. Eponine's eyes widened like saucers and couldn't contain a gasp as she identified the young man.

_No! You have to be f****** kidding me! _

Valjean patted the tall man with the golden curls on the shoulder. "Here he is, my nephew and Assistant Director, Gabriel Enjolras."

Enjolras forced a smile, but looked around as if looking for someone in particular. Eponine shifted uncomfortably as his eyes landed on her, making her close her gaping mouth into a sharp scowl.

He just gave her a small smirk before averting his attention elsewhere.

"Son of a bitch." Eponine muttered to herself.

* * *

Well, we all saw it coming. Now hi-jinks ensue!


End file.
